Olubadan or Olu of Ibadan (; Yoruba: Olubadan, ) is the royal title of the traditional ruler of Ibadan in Yorubaland.
Background Ibadan was founded in the 16th century, but the present Yoruba people only took control around 1820. By 1850, they had established their unusual succession principle, which is quite different compared with other traditional Yoruba rulers in that it alternates between two lines. It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through stages of chieftaincy promotion, thus meaning that just about any male born title-holder of the metropolitan centre is a potential king.
History According to the outline history of Ibadan by Oba Isaac Akinyele, Ibadan was founded in the 19th century. Around 1820, an army of Egba, Ijebu, Ife and Oyo people won the town after the collapse of Owu. After a struggle between the victors, the Oyo gained control in 1829. Being a city established in a period of internecine wars, the warchiefs, led by the Balogun, became the leaders of the town. But since they were more interested in warfare than civil governance, they created the Baale line (civic), to rule when they were away on military campaigns. In 1885, the Royal Niger Company became the effective rulers of the area, signing treaties with local powers such as the Olubadan, and in 1900, the British government formally assumed authority over Nigeria as a "Protectorate". The British created the Ibadan Town Council in 1897, this was the period when the system in which the Baálè (civil) and Balogun Isoriki line (military) shared powersubject to a traditional council representing both lines was established. In 1901, the Governor Sir William MacGregor introduced an ordinance whereby the Baale became the president of the council while the Resident was only to advise when necessary (Rulers of Ibadan were generally referred to as Baale until 1936, when the title of Olubadan was resuscitated).
On 1 October 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom.
Palace
Following several years of planning and construction, a new palace was inaugurated in July 2024. The new palace complex sits on a six-acre expanse of land situated at Oke Aremo.https://punchng.com/olubadan-relocates-to-modern-palace-wednesday
Ascension process Ruling lines and Rotation
There are two ruling lines to the throne of Olubadan, Egbe Agba (civil) and Balogun (military), from where Olubadans are appointed on rotational basis to occupy the stool on the death of a monarch.https://punchng.com/explainer-the-long-road-to-ibadans-prestigious-olubadan-throne/ The next to Olubadan and most senior on both lines are the Otun Olubadan (i.e., oba's "right hand", and #1 deputy on civil line) and Balogun (#1 deputy on warrior line), who under the Western Nigeria Law are recognised as second class traditional rulers and who are included on the Nigerian equivalent of a civil list as a result. Others are the Osi Olubadan (i.e., oba's "left hand" and #2 on civil line), Asipa Olubadan (#3 on civil line), Ekerin (literally "number 4" on civil line) and Ekarun (literally "number 5" on civil line), as well as Otun Balogun, Osi Balogun, Asipa Balogun, Ekerin and Ekarun Balogun, while the Seriki ("commerce minister" or "trade chief") and Iyalode, (i.e. mother of the town as "minister for women affairs" or "female chief") are also members of the Olubadan's privy council. Egbe Balogun / Balogun Line / Military Line Egbe Agba / Otun Line / Civil Line Step Title Current Title Holder Step Title Current Title Holder 23 Balogun Oba Tajudeen Adesoji Ajibola 22 Otun Olubadan Oba Eddy Oyewole 22 Otun Balogun Oba Kolawole Adegbola 21 Osi Olubadan Oba Abiodun Kola Daisi 21 Osi Balogun of Ibadanland Oba John Olubunmi Isioye-Dada 20 Ashipa Olubadan Oba Hamidu Ajibade 20 Ashipa Balogun Oba Dauda Abiodun Azeez 19 Ekerin Olubadan Oba Adebayo Akande 19 Ekerin Balogun Akeem Bolaji Adewoyin 18 Ekarun Olubadan Kola Babalola(SAN) 18 Ekarun Balogun High Chief (Senator) Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli 17 Abese Olubadan Vacant 17 Abese Balogun Samuel Adegboyega Adeniran 16 Maye Olubadan Ismaila Akinade Kilanko Fijabi 16 Maye Balogun Taiwo Anthony Adebayo Oyekan 15 Ekefa Olubadan Saka Fola Lapade 15 Ekefa Balogun Raufu Amusa Eleruwere 14 Agba Akin Olubadan Teslim Folarin 14 Agba Akin Balogun Emiola Onideure 13 Aare-Alasa Olubadan Muibi Ademola Adewuyi 13 Aare-Alasa Balogun Tirimisiyu Arowolo Obisesan 12 Ikolaba Olubadan Dauda Kolawole Gbadamosi 12 Ikolaba Balogun Wasiu Delodun Adegboyega Ajimobi 11 Asaju Olubadan Williams Oyeleke Akande Oyekola 11 Asaju Balogun Senior Chief Mukaila Gbolagade Olawoyin 10 Ayingun Olubadan Oluyinka Akande 10 Ayingun Balogun Taofeek Ayoade 9 Aare-Ago Olubadan Olufemi Olukorede Ogunwale 9 Aare-Ago Balogun Lateef Adetokunbo Akintola 8 Lagunna Olubadan Wasiu Aderoju Ajibade Olasunkanmi 8 Lagunna Balogun Nuren Adebayo Akanbi 7 Oota Olubadan (Barr.) Olumuyiwa Makinde 7 Oota Balogun Kayode Afolabi Kadelu 6 Aare-Egbe-omo Olubadan Suraju Abiola lyiola 6 Aare-Egbe-omo Balogun Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke 5 Gbonnka Olubadan (Engr.) Dotun Sanusi 5 Gbonnka Balogun Monsor Abiola Olatunji Arulogun 4 Aare Onibon Olubadan Akinola Adekunle Alabi 4 Aare Onibon Balogun Taiwo Odunlami Akande 3 Bada Olubadan Oladiran Abiodun Alabi 3 Bada Balogun Ibrahim Remi Babalola 2 Ajia Olubadan Vacant 2 Ajia Balogun Adenrele Lekan-Salami 1 Jagun Olubadan Vacant 1 Jagun Balogun Adewale Abass Kadiri
The civil line hierarchy below the Olubadan proceeds thus: https://olubadan.com/ibadans-unique-system/ OLUBADAN 1. Otun 2. Osi 3. Ashipa 4. Ekerin 5. Ekarun 6. Abese 7. Maye 8. Ekefa 9. etc...
The eleven high chiefs that formed the Olubadan-in-council, apart from the Seriki and Iyalode, are recognised as the traditional head of each of the eleven LGs in Ibadanland. It was learned that the progenitors of Ibadan frowned on the involvement of the senior chiefs in partisan politics because of the salient neutral roles they were expected to play in their domains. For instance, they are appointed as presidents of customary courts, who are expected to adjudicate on matrimonial, land, boundary and other communal disputes.
Promotion and Pegging
The Olubadan has the sweeping powers to depose or peg a chief, irrespective of the person's position on the chieftaincy line. By implication, high chiefs on the lower cadre could be promoted above a high chief whose position was pegged. Even when forgiven, in the event that he was penitent, the promotion would not be reversed while the offending high chief served his punishment. For instance, during the reign of Oba Fijabi II, between 1948 and 1952, a wealthy Balogun, who was next to Olubadan, was said to have had his chieftaincy pegged. About the same time, a holder of the title of Osi-Olubadan was also hammered for acts of disloyalty to the cause of Ibadanland, an offence regarded as treasonable felony. Spirited efforts made by a former Minister in the old Western Region to seek redress from the government and the courts when his chieftaincy title was also pegged were reported to have failed. Although he was said to have been forgiven after seeking help outside the courts, his juniors who had been promoted above him were said to have remained his seniors thereafter.
In 1983, the late Olubadan, Oba Yesufu Asanike, withdrew the honorary title of Are Alasa from the then Governor of the old Oyo State, the late Chief Bola Ige, for an act considered as being disrespectful to Ibadanland.
Olubadan-elect and Governor's Approval
On 7 July 2025, it was announced that the 43rd Olubadan Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, had died just two days after celebrating his 90th birthday and after just under one year on the throne. Former Oyo state governor and senator Adewolu Ladoja is set to ascend the throne as the 44th Olubadan after the customary mourning period and coronation rites. Ladoja ascends from Otun Olubadan, a post to which he was promoted in 2024 after the 43rd Olubadan was crownedhttps://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/685424-kingmakers-appoint-next-olubadan-of-ibadan.htmlhttps://punchng.com/ladoja-to-chair-2025-world-egungun-festival/https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/08/13/ladoja-receives-beaded-crown-as-otun-olubadanhttps://punchng.com/meet-ex-oyo-governor-rasheed-ladoja-set-to-become-44th-olubadan
On 21 August 2025, governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, officially approved Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan-designate and slated a formal coronation ceremony for 26 September 2025 at Mapo Hall in the city.
List of Olubadans Lagelu Ba'ale Maye Okunade Ba'ale Oluyedun Ba'ale Lakanle Bashorun Oluyole Ba'ale Oderinlo Ba'ale Oyeshile Olugbode Ba'ale Ibikunle* Bashorun Ogunmola Ba'ale Akere I Ba'ale Orowusi Aare Ona Kakanfo Obadoke Latosa Ba'ale Ajayi Osungbekun Ba'ale Fijabi l Ba'ale Osuntoki Basorun Fajimi Ba'ale Mosaderin Ba'ale Dada Opadere Ba'ale Sunmonu Apampa Ba'ale Akintayo Awanibaku Elenpe Ba'ale Irefin Ba'ale Shittu Latosa (son of Aare Latosa ) Ba'ale Oyewole Foko 1925–1929 Olubadan Okunola Abass 1930–1946 Olubadan Akere I 1946 Olubadan Oyetunde I (Salami) 1946 Olubadan Akintunde Bioku 1947–1948 Olubadan Fijabi II 1948–1952 Olubadan Alli Iwo 1952 Olubadan Apete 1952–1955 Oba Sir Isaac Babalola Akinyele 1955–1964 Oba Yesufu Kobiowu July 1964 – December 1964 Oba Salawu Akanni Aminu 1965–1971 Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde II (Salami) 1971–1976 Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe 1976–1977 Oba Daniel 'Tayo Akinbiyi 1977–1982 Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike I 1982–1994 Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde I 1994–1999 Oba Yunusa Ogundipe Arapasowu I 1999–2007 Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I 2007–2016 Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji 2016–2022 Oba Lekan Balogun 2022–2024 Oba Owolabi Olakulehin 2024–2025 Oba Adewolu Ladoja 2025 -
See also Nigerian traditional rulers Timeline of Ibadan
References